When Mezrimbi had finished the two first verses, the beauteous princess started with fear that he had gained her secret, and it was with a feeling of agony that she listened to the last; agony succeeded by a flow of joy, at his not having been successful. Impatiently she waved her hand, and as impatiently did Mezrimbi depart from her presence. Acota then stepped forward, and after a prelude, the beauty of which astonished all those around the queen's person, for they had no idea that he could play in tune, sang in a clear melodious voice the following stanzas:-- "Sweet, blushing cheek! the rose is there, Thy breath, the fragrance of its bowers; Lilies are on thy bosom fair, And e'en thy very words seem flowers. "But lily, rose, or flower, that blows In India's garden, on thy breast Must meet its death--by breathing sweets Where it were ecstasy to rest. "A blossom from a nettle ta'en. Is in thy beauteous bosom bound, Born amid stings, it gives no pain, 'Tis sweetness among venom found." Acota was silent. The beauteous princess, as the minstrel finished, rose slowly and tremulously from her cushions, and taking the blossom of a nettle from her bosom, placed it in the hands of the happy Acota, saying, with a great deal of piety, "It is the will of Heaven." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "But how was it possible for Acota to find out that the princess had a nettle blossom in her bosom?" interrupted the pacha. "No man could ever have guessed it. I can't make that out. Can you, Mustapha?" "Your sublime highness is right; no man ever could have guessed such a thing," replied Mustapha. "There is but one way to account for it, which is, that the princess must have told him her intentions when they were alone in the royal garden." "Very true, Mustapha--well, thank Allah, the princess is married at last." "I beg pardon of your sublime highness, but the beauteous princess is not yet married," said Menouni; "the story is not yet finished." "Wallah el nebi!" exclaimed the pacha. "By God and his Prophet, is she never to be married?" "Yes, your sublime highness, but not just yet. Shall I proceed?" "Yes, Menouni, and the faster you get on the better." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Amidst the cries of "Long live Acota, Souffraria's legitimate king." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Legitimate. Pray, good Menouni, what may that word mean?" "Legitimate, your sublime highness, implies that a king and his descendants are chosen by Allah to reign over a people." "Well, but I don't see that Allah had much to do with the choice of Acota."